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Overdrive thinking

Adam1990New Contributor26 July 2025, 7:56 pm AEST

Overdrive thinking

Hey guys. I’m new here, my partner put me onto this chat forum. I’ve had so much trouble all my life with what I call overdrive thinking. I’m constantly going to the worst place Scenario in my head especially when I’m left alone. Constantly have paranoid thoughts, haven’t been able to get a full nights sleep in nearly 12 months. I constantly have to drag myself to work when I don’t want to even get out of bed. My partner moved out over 6 months ago due to me loosing my mind and medicating with alcohol. I’ve been acting out lately in ways that I haven’t since I was a teenager. Crippling anxiety and drinking to try and calm painful thought's down is turning me into a person I don’t even recognise anymore. I want to feel normal again and don’t know where to turn for help

2 replies

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In response to: Overdrive thinking

JynxModerator26 July 2025, 9:06 pm AEST

Re: Overdrive thinking

Hi @Adam1990 that sounds so rough. I think that kind of anxiety is not uncommon for many folks here - it can be so debilitating. I'm sorry to hear you're also struggling with alcohol. It's a pretty accessible one and when we've got a lot of pain, it can feel really easy to look to substances to numb. But that's not a personal failing, that's you trying to cope with whatever you can find.

Do you have much in the way of support for your mental health?

In response to: Overdrive thinking

TangoCharlieCasual Contributor28 July 2025, 1:17 pm AEST

Re: Overdrive thinking

Hi,

What you are describing is exactly what I have been going through for decades myself. I have recently been diagnosed with ADHD which symptoms include what you have described in your post. You can download this assessment for ADHD here (called the DIVA-5 review) https://www-advancedassessments-co-uk.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/www.advancedassessments.co.uk/resources/ADHD-Screening-Test-Adult.pdf

If you do tick the box for ADHD answering the questions in this online pdf, you might want to see a psychiatrist or psychologist for a more formal assessment. You may be prescribed medication (paradoxically called stimulants) which helps you to calm down and focus.

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